As my last week of a four-week internship came to an end, I began to pack my suitcase and get ready for a trip. My plan was to visit Valencia, stay there for a few days, then go to Barcelona and return home from there.

The easiest way to travel anywhere from Madrid is by train. Spain has the longest high-speed rail network in Europe and the second longest in the world, with only China ahead of it. However, as of 2026, many people have become cautious about using this kind of transport in Spain, as there were three major train crashes in the country in January. I was a bit worried about going to Valencia by train, but I decided to buy a high-speed train ticket anyway. The government has been working on inspecting all the railroads and making any necessary repairs.

The journey was very short; only two hours passed before I arrived in Valencia. The city has a population of approximately 840,000 inhabitants, and it has one of the biggest ports in Europe. About 20 years ago, the city became especially popular among tourists because of the City of Arts and Sciences, a large cultural complex that includes a science museum, a planetarium with a 3D digital cinema, an aquarium, concert halls, exhibition spaces, and much more. I was personally most interested in the aquarium, as it is the largest in Europe.

During my three-day stay, I walked around the city and along the beach, visited the aquarium, and went on a guided biking tour to Albufera – a natural park with a freshwater lagoon located south of Valencia. The scenery there was breathtaking, and the guide explained how the area is known for its rice fields and traditional fishing boats. In the evenings, I tried local dishes such as paella, which originally comes from the Valencia region.

Compared to Madrid, Valencia felt like a much quieter and more peaceful city. The streets were calm, even in the city center, and I often found myself walking for several minutes without hearing more than the sound of the sea or the occasional bicycle passing by. It was a welcome break after a busy month in the capital and exactly the kind of rest I needed before heading to Barcelona. 

Next destination was, of course, the largest city in Catalonia—Barcelona. To continue with my habit of mentioning a city’s population, I’ll say that 1.7 million people live there, while the metro area population is over 4.6 million! In recent years, there has been a growing problem with the affordability of flats. Housing prices are rising all over the world, but they are especially high in Barcelona due to the huge number of short-term residents and tourists. Finding a single-room flat for less than 1000 euros is almost impossible. Staying at a hotel is also very expensive; the cheapest options usually start at around 100 euros per night. So hostels remain the only relatively affordable choice. Moreover, since April 2026 the city has introduced a tourist tax, now totalling between €10 and €15 per person per night.

But was it worth coming to Barcelona? Absolutely! I’m a huge fan of Gaudí’s architecture, and it has been a dream of mine to witness his creations in real life. I arrived in Barcelona by bus and as we were approaching the city centre I saw Sagrada Família right ahead of us. Later that evening when I went on a walk I got to get a proper look at it. Even from a distance, illuminated against the night sky, it looked surreal. The architecture of it is so creative and unique, unlike anything else in the world! 

The next day, I joined a guided tour around the city that focused on modernist architecture. It was the perfect way to understand the artistic context behind all those unusual shapes and decorative details scattered around Barcelona. The guide led us past several famous buildings, including some of Gaudí’s works, and explained how Catalan Modernism blended nature, colour, and symbolism into everyday urban life. Walking through these streets felt like moving through a giant open-air museum.

Later, I visited Park Güell, where the iconic “gingerbread houses” greeted me at the entrance. Their curved roofs, colourful mosaics, and playful shapes made the whole place look like a scene from a fairy tale. From the park’s terraces, I enjoyed sweeping views over the entire city, stretching all the way to the sea.

On my last day in Barcelona, I unexpectedly found myself in the middle of a celebration: Saint Jordi’s Day. I had no idea I’d be there during a holiday, so the lively atmosphere caught me by surprise. Saint Jordi’s Day is often compared to Valentine’s Day, but instead of chocolates and candlelit dinners, people exchange books and roses. The streets were full of stands selling fresh flowers and novels of every genre, and couples wandered around holding a rose in one hand and a newly purchased book in the other. It was charming and festive, and it made my final day in the city feel even more special. I didn’t plan it, but experiencing a local holiday was a wonderful way to end my trip to Barcelona.

Looking back, my Erasmus exchange internship turned out to be far more than just a professional experience. It became a cultural journey that allowed me to see Spain from the inside. Living in Madrid taught me how dynamic and fast-paced life in a big European capital can be, while my trips to Andalusia, Valencia and Barcelona showed me the country’s diversity, from quiet coastal landscapes to bold modernist architecture. I learned to navigate new cities, try unfamiliar food, speak a bit more Spanish than I expected, and adapt to a different rhythm of life. Altogether, these six weeks gave me not only practical skills for my career but also memories of amazing places and warm moments that I’ll carry with me for a long time!